Design Breakouts That Actually Break Through
A free guide to help you create conference sessions, SKOs, and strategy meetings that people remember—and act on.
Breakouts are where your attendees explore, discuss, and internalize the message you most want them to remember. They’re where concepts are made real and tangible. But too often, they turn into just another slide-driven presentation.
We’ve designed breakouts for sales kickoffs, leadership off-sites, and enterprise-wide strategy rollouts—and we’ve seen what works (and what doesn’t). This guide shares the exact principles we use to make sessions that are engaging, purpose-driven, and actually move people.
What’s Inside
How to design with empathy—not assumptions
How to structure breakout activities for reflection, action, and buy-in
What makes a good facilitator (and what to avoid)
How to build interactive materials that deepen learning
Why timing, setup, and storytelling matter more than your slides
Who It’s For
This guide is for anyone designing high-stakes group experiences:
Internal communications & enablement teams
Conference or event planners
People & Culture leaders
L&D pros
Strategy & transformation leaders
Download the Guide
Get your free copy of Breakout Design Rules of Thumb
Want Help Building a Breakout That Works?
If you’re planning an SKO, a strategy retreat, or a team event—and you want your breakout sessions to actually change minds, spark action, and drive alignment—we can help.
Book a 30-minute breakout brainstorm with us—no strings attached.
We’ll talk through what you’re planning, what’s at stake, and give you at least one idea to make your session more effective.
Client Love
“The level of interactivity W&H brought to our breakout sessions was unmatched... Every table had something to do, and the resulting buy-in to our strategy is extremely high. I am forever changed by the work they did.”
— Karen Loiterstein, VP Sales Enablement, TierPoint